Kindred Spirits
by merlucadevotion
Summary: Andrew has a very important question for Meredith. Turns out, she has the exact same one. A merluca one shot.


There were some things in life that you just knew. There weren't any clear explanations to it, it was just something you felt in the depths of your heart and soul. And Andrew has been feeling this way for quite some time. It was the most sure of something he'd ever been in his life. Meredith Grey was the love of his life and he was going to ask her to marry him.

Of course, there was a lot to consider going into this. He wanted the moment to be perfect. The approval of Meredith's three children was naturally first on his list of priorities.

Andrew was walking in the park one sunny afternoon with the kids. Zola and Bailey were racing each other to a tree up ahead while Ellis held his hand and as always, talked his ear off about any and everything that popped into her little mind.

After a while, they stopped to rest on a bench. "So guys, I have to ask you a very important question.." Andrew started.

"What is it?" Zola asked.

"Yeah, what is it?" said Bailey.

"Well, you guys know that I love your mommy very much right?" Andrew said.

The kids all nodded in agreement.

"And you know I love you guys too." He continued.

"Duh!" Ellis chimed in.

Andrew laughed a bit. "Okay, well, I need to know how you guys would feel about me becoming a permanent part of the family."

"Aren't you already part of the family?" Bailey asked genuinely, tilting his head to the side.

"I feel like I am, of course. But what I'm saying is..what I'm saying is I wanna ask your mom to marry me." Andrew told them.

"Finally!" Zola exclaimed, clapping her hands together.

Andrew smiled, grateful for the positive response to such a huge announcement.

"I'm always asking mommy when she's gonna marry you. And before she used to say "I don't know Zozo, it's complicated. And then she'd say "when the time is right" but now it's finally happening!" Zola continued excitedly.

"Well it wouldn't be happening without getting your blessings first." Andrew said.

"Okay. Raise your hand if you want mommy to marry Andrew!" Zola said to her younger siblings.

Both Bailey and Ellis raised their hands.

"There. You have our blessing." Zola smiled, shrugging her shoulders.

Andrew could hardly wait to include the kids in the process of planning the proposal, including every important detail such as picking out the ring.

——-

Meredith was pacing her living room floor when Alex walked in.

"Mer? Hey, I got your text. What's up?" Alex asked her as he stepped into the house. He held up a brown paper bag that carried a bottle of tequila. "You told me to bring this?"

"Yeah, I ran out. Thanks." Meredith said as she took the bottle from him, opening it and taking a swig straight from the bottle.

"Mer, what's up?" Alex asked again. Knowing Meredith and the fact that she was already drinking tequila before sundown, he knew it had to be something major.

She plopped down on the couch and patted the space next to her. "Sit with me. Drink with me." Meredith told him.

Alex sat down and retrieved the bottle from Meredith and took a sip himself.

Meredith paused for a moment, trying to think of the best way to put into words what she was feeling.

"Andrew and I..we've been dating for quite some time now." Meredith said.

Alex nodded, a look of confusion evident in his features.

"And I'm in love with him. There was a time when I tried to push back or deny those feelings, but it's the god honest truth. I'm in love with him. I'm at a point where I think of the future and I can't imagine it without him." Meredith explained.

"Yeah, you're in love with the guy. I get it. And like I told you before, I'm happy for you. I don't know anyone else who deserves it more than you." Alex said.

"Well, I'm glad you feel that way because I…" Meredith started. She bit her bottom lip and began nervously picking at her fingers.

"You what? Spit it out already." Alex replied.

She snatched the bottle of tequila from Alex and took another drink.

Meredith sighed, a mixture of warmth from the alcohol she consumed and the butterflies in her stomach within her. "I'm..going to ask Andrew to marry me." As the words fell from her lips a bright smile appeared.

"I say go for it. Life's short, Mer. You and I know that better than anyone. Do whatever the hell makes you happy and what you feel is right. Screw the rest." Alex said to her.

"Thanks Alex. That means a lot." She said as she pulled him in for a hug.

"I sure as hell better be your best man." Alex added.

"Wouldn't have it any other way." Meredith replied.

——-

The small velvet box containing the ring Andrew picked out with the help of the kids felt like a heavy brick weighing down in his pocket. Undoubtedly, he was nervous.

He had no doubts about his deep love for Meredith and hers towards him, but what if marriage was simply a step too far? What if she said no? What if it scared her away?

So many worst case scenarios played through his mind but he tried his best to push them out. There was no use in dwelling on the what ifs. It was now or never.

"Hey Deluca, is everything okay man?" Andrew heard a voice say, pulling him out of his thoughts.

He blinked a little and turned to see that Link was standing next to him with a look of concern.

"Yeah, everything's good. But umm.." Andrew looked around. "Come with me for a sec."

Andrew led them to an empty family waiting room and closed the door. He went into his pocket and pulled out the velvet box, opening it to reveal the ring.

"Deluca, wow, I don't know man. I'm pretty happy with Amelia and this is all so sudden.." Link joked.

Andrew laughed a bit, playfully punching his arm. "Shut up. It's for Meredith. I plan on proposing. Today..possibly."

"Possibly?" Link repeated.

"Well, yeah. I've been hanging onto this thing for the past week but it's never felt like exactly the right time. So, I want to try to make this as special as possible for her." Andrew explained.

Link nodded. "Well, I can tell you one thing, waiting around for the "right time" is pretty much pointless because you'll be waiting forever. You never know when the right time is. It just happens."

"True. Which is why it's happening today. I can feel it. This is it." Andrew said with confidence.

"Well congrats, dude. I'm happy for you." Link said to him. "Need any help with anything?"

"Yes, actually. I'm glad you asked." Andrew said.

He started explaining his plan to Link and the two began brainstorming.

A few hours later, Andrew stood at the nurses station handing a tablet to one of the interns when Meredith approached him.

"Hey, you. Haven't seen you all day." Meredith said, leaning up to plant a quick kiss to his lips. "Are we still on for lunch this afternoon?"

Andrew suddenly felt extremely nervous which is something he hadn't felt this strongly when it came to Meredith in quite some time. He had forgotten they'd made plans to meet for lunch, and he planned on meeting up with Link at the store during that time.

"Umm, actually no. Can we take a rain check please? I forgot I still have a ton of work to do today and I won't have much time to do anything else. I'm sorry." Andrew said. He felt bad for having to lie to Meredith like this but he couldn't risk exposing the truth.

"What work exactly? I checked the OR board and you aren't scheduled for any surgeries at that time." Meredith questioned curiously.

"N- no, I won't be in surgery. It's this extra research Bailey has me doing for this case she wants me in on." Andrew lied.

"Ooh, that sounds interesting. What kind of research?" Meredith asked him.

"Actually, Mer, I kinda have to get going. Talk later?" Andrew said.

Something was definitely off, Meredith could sense it from Andrew's behavior but she couldn't quite pinpoint what it was and it was bothering her, especially considering what she was planning to do that day.

"Somethings up with Andrew. Do you think he knows?" Meredith asked her sisters as they all sat in the attendings lounge.

"Well besides Webber we're the only ones who know, and none of us told him, so probably not." Amelia answered.

"It's just the anxiety, Mer. This is a pretty big deal. And that's putting it lightly." Maggie said.

Maggie was right, it was a big deal. Meredith was about to be at her most emotionally vulnerable with Andrew, asking him to spend the rest of his life with her. It was a big commitment and although all signs pointed to yes, a part of her worried that maybe Andrew wasn't quite ready for such a huge step in their relationship.

Sure, he loved her. But was he ready for lifelong commitment and everything that entailed? Sure, he loved her kids and they loved him, but was he ready to be their official stepfather? The last thing she ever wanted was to scare him away.

Meredith sighed. "You're right. There's nothing to worry about. Andrew loves me and I love him and this is all going to work out despite all the evidence in the past that points towards the universe hating me."

"That's the spirit!" Amelia pumped her fist.

Meredith pulled out the ring she'd been carrying around just to look at it once again. After learning of the news that Meredith planned to propose to Andrew, Richard had given her a special gift.

"This ring was passed down to me from my father, and it was passed down from his father, and so on. The most honorable men in my family have worn this ring and you have yourself a very honorable man, Meredith." Richard had told her.

Meredith traced her finger across the ring and held it close to her. Closing her eyes and imagining her life with Andrew helped ease her anxieties.

——

Meredith and Andrew had these lingering fears in the back of their minds, but little did they know they couldn't have been more of a match made in heaven.

The people involved with the proposal plans for the couple all came to the realization that both Meredith and Andrew had the same idea in mind when they all ended up on the rooftop per instruction from each of them.

Amelia, Maggie, Alex, and Link all banded together to put the ideas from Meredith and Andrew together for one epic proposal.

The rooftop of Grey Sloan Memorial was decorated like something out of a fairytale. It was fitting, considering it was the start of their own fairytale. It was where Andrew took Meredith on their first "date", and it was where Meredith, with her entire heart open and worn on her sleeve for Andrew to see, confessed with every truth within her just how deep her love for him ran.

And now it was the spot where the two of them were about to propose to commit the rest of their lives to each other.

Once Meredith and Andrew had gotten the confirmation from each of their parties that everything was ready, still unaware that the two had the same idea.

Andrew got a text from Meredith telling him to meet her on the rooftop. Instantly, he thought his worst fear had come true, that she heard about the plan to propose and was going to put an end to it.

However, when he reached the doors that led to the rooftop, he realized he couldn't have been more wrong.

Red rose petals lined the pathway to the rooftop, which led Andrew to where Meredith stood in the middle of rose petals designed as a heart. The fairy lights over head illuminating her features.

Andrew stepped forward slowly to take in every detail of this moment, everything he was feeling. He locked eyes with Meredith tilting his head to side, her eyes wide and shiny from tears.

Meredith began talking before he could say anything. "I know better than anyone that life doesn't always go exactly as you planned. It has a funny way of surprising you when you least expect it. Sometimes people have a way of surprising you. And you, Andrew Deluca, you surprised me. I never expected you. I never expected this, to fall so deeply in love with you, but here I am, standing on this rooftop wearing this damn blue dress I know you love so much to pour my heart out and pray this doesn't all come crashing down because if it does, god if it does, I don't think my heart would survive it. I find myself thinking about the future and all I know is I can't imagine any scenario where you're not a part of that. I want a life with you, Andrew. I want forever with you."

Andrew stepped closer to her, tears brimming in his eyes as he took Meredith's hands into his. "Meredith.." He uttered so softly, so tenderly. The emotions inside of him like nothing he ever felt before.

"Andrew, will you marry me?" She asked.

"Yes, Meredith Grey. A thousand times, yes. I will marry you." Andrew said to which he instantly embraced her in his arms, kissing her lips and lifting her slightly from the ground.

When they finally pulled back from the kiss, they were met with cheers and applause from all their closest friends and loved ones.

"Meredith, you're not gonna believe this but" Andrew pulled the ring he was carrying from his pocket. "I was going to propose tonight too. I had everything planned out and I was a nervous wreck trying to make sure it was perfect, but this, this was beyond anything I could've imagined."

Meredith's eyes widened in surprise when she saw the ring and the tears just kept flowing as Andrew slipped the ring on her finger and Zola, Bailey, and Ellis all ran up to her attacking her with the biggest hugs.

"Congratulations mommy!" They all said as they hugged her.

Andrew embraced them all into a family group hug.

It was in this moment that Meredith and Andrew could clearly see the rest of their lives ahead of them, and they could hardly wait for what was to come.


End file.
